This poem won the 2003 “People Before Profits” Poetry Prize. Click here to hear the segment entitled Tired Thoughts read by Yeraz Markarian. Tired Thoughts by Leonardo Alishan (1951-2005) They have buried ten million mines in Afghanistan, one land mine for every two or three Afghans, regardless of age or ethnic background. They have planted death in the womb of the mother. Prosthetic limbs are airdropped with food. They have planted a mine under God’s pillow and his dreams of doves. Every night a new dark dream spreads its wings in my sleep. This morning I woke with a throbbing headache. I woke tired. I had defused or detonated mines all night. A dream so real, I checked my limbs. They were still mine. A dream so dark I checked my heart. God was still there. But also still mine and also still there was the problem of ten million mines, ten million limbs, ten million lives, ten million dreams, blown apart in the heart of a God who plows with the farmers and lives in my heart. Less